Humdinger Cake Food

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
• Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
• Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Photograh by Stephanie Foley

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and coat the insides lightly with flour, knocking excess out.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.
• Beat together the granulated sugar, oil, coconut flakes, vanilla, eggs, bananas and crushed pineapples in a separate medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in the pecans.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or the cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pans and cooling completely on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, level the tops using a serrated knife.
• For the buttermilk frosting: In the meantime, beat the butter in a stand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and fluffy. Add the buttermilk, vanilla and salt and beat just to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Use the buttermilk frosting to assemble the cake and decorate with dried pineapple rings and coconut chips.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease with butter and dust with flour three 9- or 10-inch round cake pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, sugar, salt, spices and baking soda.
• In a big bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla, pineapple and bananas really well.
• Add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and whisk gently until there are no lumps. Fold in 3/4 cup of the pecans.
• Divide the batter among the pans, scraping all the batter from the bowl with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven. Be advised: This is a dense, moist cake and you'll be tempted to overbake it. Try not to. Once you start seeing color on top, keep pressing the top of the cake. When it's firm, it's done.
• Turn out the cake layers onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting and garnish with the remaining 3/4 cup pecans and--if you're feeling very Southern--sliced maraschino cherries. You can even brulee some pineapple slices for the top of the cake.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients. Whip on low speed for a while. When the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer speed up and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl often.
• To spread, use the frosting at room temperature, but store it covered in the fridge. Rewhip cold frosting before using it.

HUMDINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add cake mix, eggs, and water; mix until batter is just combined. Stir pineapple and bananas into batter. Fold pecans and coconut into batter; pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake in the dish for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled cake.

HUMDINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add cake mix, eggs, and water; mix until batter is just combined. Stir pineapple and bananas into batter. Fold pecans and coconut into batter; pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake in the dish for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled cake.

HUMDINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add cake mix, eggs, and water; mix until batter is just combined. Stir pineapple and bananas into batter. Fold pecans and coconut into batter; pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake in the dish for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled cake.

HUMDINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Beat butter in a bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add cake mix, eggs, and water; mix until batter is just combined. Stir pineapple and bananas into batter. Fold pecans and coconut into batter; pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake in the dish for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spread cream cheese frosting over cooled cake.

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the bananas, oil, eggs, pineapple and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually beat into banana mixture until blended. Stir in walnuts. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the shortening, butter, lemon zest and salt until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar alternately with pineapple juice. Beat in cream. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, sprinkle with walnuts.